cliffs it was as though a searchlight had been shone directly into his
eyes, and he felt the force and ferocity of the river abating. He
squinted up into bright sunlight, and then looked back and saw that he
had passed out below the archway of pink rock into that familiar part of
the river which he had explored with Royan. Coming up ahead of him was
the rope suspension bridge, and he had just sufficient strength
remaining to paddle feebly towards the small beach of white sand below
it.
One of the hairy tattered ropes dangled to the surface of the water, and
he managed to catch hold of it as he drifted past and swing himself in
towards the beach. He tried to crawl fully ashore, but he collapsed with
his face in the sand and vomited out the water he had swallowed. It felt
so good just to be able to lie without effort and rest.
His lower body still hung into the river, but he had neither the
strength nor the inclination to drag himself fully ashore.
'I am alive,' he marvelled, and fell into a state halfway between sleep
and unconsciousness.
never knew how long he had been lying like that, but when he felt a
hand shaking his shoulder, and a voice calling softly to him, he was
annoyed that his rest had been disturbed.
'Effendi, wake up! They seek you. The beautiful Woizero seeks you.'
With a huge effort Nicholas roused himself and sat up slowly. Tamre
knelt over him, grinning and waggling his head.
(Please, effendi, come with me. The Woizero is searching the river bank
on the far side. She is weeping and calling your name,' Tamre told him.
He was the only person Nicholas had ever met who contrived to look
worried and to grin at the same time. Nicholas looked beyond him and saw
that it must be late afternoon, for the sun sat fat and red on the lip
of the escarpment.
While still sitting in the sand Nicholas checked his body, making an
inventory of his injuries. He ached in every muscle, and his legs and
arms were scraped and bruised, but he could detect no broken bones. And
although there was a tender lump on'the side of his he ad where he had
glanced off a rock, his mind was clear.
'Help me upP he ordered Tamre. The boy put his shoulder under Nicholas's
armpit, where the. rope had burnt him, and hoisted him to his feet. The
two of them struggled up to the bank and on to the path, and then.
hobbled slowly across the swinging bridge.
He had hardly reached the other bank when there was a joyous shout from
close at hand.
'Nicky! Oh, dear God! You are safe.' Royan ran down the path and threw
her arms around him. 'I have been frantic. I thought that-' she broke
off, and held him at arms length to look at him. 'Are you all right? I
was expecting to find your broken bodym---'
'You know me,' he grinned at her and tried not to i limp. 'Ten'feet tall
and-bullet-proof You don't get rid of Me that easily. I only did it just
to get a hug from you.'
She released him hurriedly. 'Don't read anything into that. I am kind to
all beaten puppies, and other dumb animals.' But her smile belied the
words. 'Nevertheless, it's good to have you back in one piece, Nicky.'
